Keeping Cats Out of Gardens

MCAS recommends only bringing sick or injured cats to our shelter. We recognize that nuisance behaviors are valid and concerning, and we want to help you resolve them effectively and humanely, meeting your needs, and for the wellbeing of the cats.

Many nuisance behaviors are caused by intact cats seeking mates and territory. Trap Neuter Return (TNR) can often reduce nuisance behaviors including fighting, spraying, yowling, and most importantly- prevent ongoing litters of kittens.

cat in the garden

Helpful tips to keep cats out of your garden

Texture

Cats prefer gardens with soft, dry dirt or sand. Anything pointy or bristly will help deter them. Some things people have used in or on dirt:

Scent

There are a number of safe, nontoxic scents that cats don’t like and will tend to avoid:

Water

Motion-activated sprinkler (Scarecrow, Havahart etc.)

High Tech

Reverse Psychology

  • Build a sandbox to lure cats away from where you don’t want them. (This will help contain the mess in one location.)
  • Plant catnip in a location where you would prefer cats to be.